Venue Spotlight: Pablo's Coffee

If we could dream up a perfect Fika Coffee Passport venue, it would most definitely be Pablo's. They embody the true essence of what it means to "Fika"—or break from your daily routine. Conceived in 1995, this Alamo Placita neighborhood staple has served some of the best coffee in Denver, whilst staying true to their bottom line. There is NO WIFI at Pablo's, honing in on the art of conversation, face-to-face meetings, and a community space that is home to a variety of faces. The Pablo's team is as diverse as its patrons—a group of passionate artists, students, musicians, teachers, parents, and friends.

Jason Cain, Wholesale Director, has been at Pablo's over 16 years—quitting his corporate job to pursue coffee in Denver. He says the company has very little turnover, and that most of the baristas have been there at least 5 years—impressively knowing each customers drink down the line. His passion and love for coffee and people was contagious, telling us all about the state-of-the art pourover machine we all wished we could afford, as well as his days of working in coffee shops where people were still able to smoke cigarettes and revel late into the night.

Lack of wifi helps us. I miss the noise of a coffee shop. Nowadays shops are so quiet its like going into an office.

Pablo's is getting ready to open a flagship space on East Colfax, which they are thrilled about. The vibe and aesthetic will be "punk rock" and filled with timeless games and some more French-inspired savory foods.

As a nod to our Colorado Public Radio support this year, we ended our conversation with Jason asking him about the tunes that drift over Pablo's speakers.

We used to have Pablo's music cards back in the day because were always being asked what song was playing and this was back when we had albums...

Fleet foxes were frequently played, as Radiohead, 90s hip-hop and a variety of indie bands seem to be the staple sound here. Though, it is ultimately up to the opener, and their current mood.